Defense+ Settings

The Defense+ component of Comodo Internet Security is a host intrusion prevention system that constantly monitors the activities of all executable files on your PC. With Defense+ activated, the user is warned EVERY time an unknown application executable (.exe, .dll, .sys, .bat etc) attempts to run. The only executables that are allowed to run are the ones you give permission to. An application can be given such permission to run in a variety of ways including; manually granting them execution rights in Computer Security Policy; by deciding to treat the executable as trusted at a Defense+ alert or simply because the application is on the Comodo safe list. Defense+ also automatically protects system-critical files and folders such as registry entries to prevent unauthorized modification. Such protection adds another layer of defense to Comodo Internet Security by preventing malware from ever running and by preventing any processes from making changes to vital system files.

Note for beginners:

This page often refers to 'executables' (or 'executable files'). An 'executable' is a file that can instruct your computer to perform a task or function. Every program, application and device you run on your computer requires an executable file of some kind to start it. The most recognizable type of executable file is the '.exe' file. (e.g., when you start Microsoft Word, the executable file 'winword.exe' instructs your computer to start and run the Word application). Other types of executable files include those with extensions .cpl .dll, .drv, .inf, .ocx, .pf, .scr, .sys.

Unfortunately, not all executables can be trusted. Some executables, broadly categorized as malware, can instruct your computer to delete valuable data; steal your identity; corrupt system files; give control of your PC to a hacker and much more. You may also have heard these referred to as Trojans, scripts and worms. Worse still, these programs are explicitly designed to run without you knowing about them. Defense+ is designed to make sure you DO know about them by blocking all unknown executables and alerting you whenever they try to run.

The Defense+ Settings area allows you to quickly configure the security level and behavior of Defense+ during operation. This settings area can be accessed in the 'Defense+' interface and, more immediately, by clicking on security level setting that is displayed (e.g. Safe Mode) in the Summary Screen (shown below).